Arrangement for forming a selvage for use on a loom

ABSTRACT

A selvage forming arrangement for use on a loom, wherein two selvage threads of a fabric warp are guided in eyelet means during weaving to produce shed forming movements in which the threads pass one another and are periodically crossed one over another by movement imparting means having thin, elongate thread positioning elements that extend transversely of at least one of the selvage threads, these elements being movable transversely, i.e., laterally of the shed forming movement of the eyelet means, with the first of the selvage threads being alternately movable into register with one and the other of a pair of guide slots disposed one on each side of the second of the two selvage threads, so that these threads provide a selvage when woven up with successive weft thread insertions into the sheds.

[ 1March 13, 1973 3,376,899 4/1968 Quintana...............................138/54 [54] ARRANGEMENT FOR FORMING A SELVAGE FOR USE ON A LOOM Primary Examiner--Henry S. Jaudon [75] Inventor. filigiar Strauss, Ruti/ZH, Switzer- Ammey D0nald Dinemon [57] ABSTRACT A selvage forming arrangement for use on a loom,

H .mZ n w R L r 5 W 8 Wn 0 r er. .mm. a mC I m" Rm a e n g m s A H 7 wi zerland S t wherein two selvage threads of a fabric warp are guided in eyelet means during weaving to produce shed forming movements in which the threads pass one another and are periodically crossed one over another by movement imparting means having thin, elongate thread positioning elements that extend transversely of at least one of the selvage threads, these elements being movable transversely, i.e., laterally of the shed forming movement of the eyelet 0 7 2 6 3 N am t. m m y" a..." 0m .1. ma n n 9 uh I or. e on 2 :IW MS a D. M a1 0 9 N r O4 m. e e H m FA J ll 1 2 O 22 3 [l rt means, with the first of the selvage threads being alternately movable into register with one and the other 404 545 WW 34%. 1d "39 04 .8 m 4, n/ 9 3 m n.c r 8 .e m ll .8... C smfm UIF 11]] 218 555 [ll I of a pair of guide slots disposed one on each side of the second of the two selvage threads, so that these References Cited threads provide a selvage when woven up with succes- U I S S PATENTS sive weft thread insertions into the sheds.

729,106 5/1903 Sutcliffe 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNAR I 3 I973 SHEET 10F 3 Fig. 1

ARRANGEMENT FOR FORMING A SELVAGE FOR USE ON A LOOM The present invention relates to an arrangement for forming a selvage, for use on a loom, and wherein two selvage threads are guided in eyes, the movement of which, during weaving, imparts shed-like movements to the selvage threads whereby they pass or cross eachother so that, when woven up with weft thread insertions in the sheds, a selvage is produced on the fabric being woven.

When producing a fabric by conventional weaving methods by means of bobbins fitted in the shuttle, the weft thread is reversed at the sides of the fabric, and the warp threads are thus firmly bound into the fabric. In many nonconventional weaving processes, or in the case of fabrics that are cut along the warp threads, the individual ends of the weft threads hang from the fabric. In these circumstances, a fringe of warp threads is formed at the sides of the ends of the weft threads hanging from the fabric. To avoid this, it is the practice to form an artificial selvage or strip along such sides. Such artificial edge or strip can be made by inserting the thread-ends into the fabric, by carrying out a knitting operation, or by a bonding process. It is also known to form a twist selvage by twisting the outermost warp threads about each other, or by means of special selvage threads.

Selvages of the last-mentioned kind can be produced by twisting the warp threads drawn from two bobbins by continuously rotating the bobbins in rhythm with the weaving operation, these warp threads continuously executing a shed forming movement. The provision of rotatable bobbins means a considerably more complicated construction and requires a great deal of space in the zone where the warp threads are located.

It is also known for the purpose of producing twist selvages to guide the selvage threads by means of heddles, so as to form the selvage. To produce the selvage, the heddles execute a shed movement. Furthermore, they are moved in the lateral direction in order to ensure that the threads are wound round each other. These means also have the disadvantage of being relatively complicated and requiring considerable space.

Looms in which wave-like sheds are formed are known in which the weft thread inserting elements are guided by the warp threads during the insertion move ment. In these looms the gap in the warp threads, necessitated by the selvage forming means, is of particular disadvantage since the weft thread inserting elements are not guided over this gap.

The present invention is intended to avoid these disadvantages and it is characterized in that one of the selvage threads is located in one of the end positions of its shed-like movement between elongate, thin thread positioning elements or portions extending transversely of said thread and engageable therewith, which elements are reciprocable laterally, i.e., transversely of the shed-like movement of the eyes, so that in their lateral when woven up with the successive weft threads inserted in the weaving of the fabric.

The present invention thus offers the advantages of requiring substantially no mechanism to be disposed between the warp threads. Furthermore, the normal threads, drawn from the warp beam, can be used as selvage threads. Furthermore, shed-like or shed forming movements can be imparted to the selvage threads by means of heddles which are connected to the healds used for the weaving process. In such an arrangement, the size and disposition of the shed formed by the selvage threads correspond to those of the shed formed for theweaving process.

In the above-mentioned looms forming wave-like sheds, the conditions are such that the shed movement of the selvage threads must coincide with the movement of the weaving thread at the point where the selvage is located. These machines generally comprise a plurality of healds which are arranged side-by-side and which produce sheds that progress in an undulatory manner. Depending upon the width of the fabric, any two of these healds may form the shed where the selvage occurs. The present invention offers the additional advantage of enabling the heddles with the guide eyes for the selvage threads to be secured to any of the healds since no special mechanism is required to be connected to these heddles. In the case of looms form ing wave-like sheds, the distance travelled by the hed- V dles is dependent on the distance of the heddles, i.e.,

the healds carrying them, from the shuttles, since the shed-angle formed by all the warp threads must always be of the same size. To achieve this, the heddles or healds nearer the shuttles travel a shorter distance during their movement than the heddles or healds more remote from the shuttles. In the known selvage forming arrangements, however, the distance travelled by the heddles is constant so that in such arrangements, the shed movement of the selvage threads cannot be readily interpolated at any point. correspondingly, in the case of the warp threads of the nearer heddles, the compensation in the length of the warp threads necessary for forming the shed is smaller than in the case of the more remote warp threads. Thus, the mechanism present on the loom for producing compensation in the length of the warp threads when using a known selvage forming means cannot generally be readily assembled with the warp forming means, whereas in the arrangement in accordance with the invention, by connecting end positions, they alternately or periodically move this selvage thread into register with two guide slots which the heddles with the healds, correct length compensa tion is automatically achieved without any special mea sures.

The invention will now be described in more detail by reference to preferred embodiments and to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a selvage forming arrangement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of an example of a selvage formed by this invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of selvage forming arrangement according to this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of a selvage forming apparatus or arrangement of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numerals 11 and 12 designate two heddle support bars of heald frames incorporated in a loom that forms wave-like sheds. When the loom is operating, these bars move in opposite directions (see arrows in FIG. 4). For the sake of clarity, other heald frames are not shown in the drawing. The heddles secured to the heald frames are likewise omitted from the drawing. One of a series of shuttles 14 (only one shown) for inserting weft threads into the shed 13 is illustrated about to emerge from the shed. The lower portion of the shuttle 14 rests on reeds 15. The shuttle 14 is moved forward by means of a movement imparted to the reeds 15, this movement progressing in an undulatory manner. The undulatory movement is composed of a succession of up and down movements imparted in turn to the reeds 15, this being indicated by the rearmost reeds shown in the drawing. The woven material is designated by the numeral 26.

The two outermost warp threads form selvage threads 16 and 17 which are passed respectively through the eyes or eyelet means 18 and 19. The eye 18 is carried by the heddle and the eye 19 by the heddle 21. On each side of the heddle 20 are selvage thread guide slots 22 and 23, which are bounded on the outside by two arms 24 which carry the heddle 20. The two slots 22 and 23 communicate with each other by way of the cut-away portion or gap 25. The heddle 20 is carried by the bar 11 by way of an arm 24, and the heddle 21 is carried by the bar 21. The heddle 21 can be swung laterally to small extents about the vertical pin 40, and its end positions are limited by two stops.

Two thin, elongate thread positioning elements or portions in the form of strings 32 and 33 are stretched between the fixed part of the loom and a lever 31. As seen in FIG. 1, the string 32 is disposed forwardly, i.e., to the left, and the string 33 rearwardly, i.e., to the right, of the outermost warps or selvage threads 16 and 17. Both strings extend over the bars 11 and 12 and over the heddles 20 and 21. The lever 31 can be swung about the horizontal pin 34 so as to comprise with strings 32 and 33 movement imparting means for locating or moving the selvage threads 16 and 17 to right or left. The tension spring biases that end of the lever which carries the roller 36, towards the eccentric disc 37. The pin 34 is carried by a fixed part of the loom to which the one end of the spring 35 is also attached.

When the loom is operating, the shed is changed after each traverse of a shuttle 14. Thus the heddle or heald frames with the bars 11 and 12 move in opposite directions in known manner. During their movement, they carry with them the attached heddles, not shown in the drawing. The arrangement 18, 20 and 24 and the heddle 21 carrying the eye 19 are likewise moved. The eccentric disc 37 is rotated, by means not shown, at the same time and in rhythm with the heddle support or heald bars 11 and 12. At the stage of operation illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower end of the lever 31 is swung into its leftward position. The strings 32 and 33 are therefore also pressed to the left. As a consequence of this, the string 33, shown in FIG. 1 as being to the right or rear of the selvage threads 16 and 17, likewise presses these threads to the left. The string 32, on the other hand, runs by forwardly and to the left of the selvage threads 16 and 17 and during this swinging movement of lever 31, string 32 therefore moves away from these threads to the left. Because of the pressure of the string 33 on the first selvage thread 17, the latter now moves freely across the opening or gap 25 so that thread 17 moves into register with the slot 22. However, as this happens, the heddle 21 also swings about the pin 40 into its end position, so that the eye 19 is also swung to the left. During the following movement of the heald frames or bars 11 and 12 for the purpose of changing the shed, the thread 17 is therefore caused to pass through the slot 22 on the front side, i.e., on the left, of the second selvage thread 16, and the eye 19 is also moved forward crossing over in front of the selvage thread 16.

In the meantime, the shuttle 14 has inserted a weft thread and has passed out of the shed 13. For the purpose ofinserting the next weft thread, the heald frames, through bars 11 and 12, change the shed again. The selvage threads 16 and 17 thus again execute a shedlike movement. At the same time, the eccentric disc 37 has rotated farther so that the lower end of the lever 31 is swung into its right-hand position 31', shown in broken lines. As a consequence of this, the string 32 which runs by on the front side of the selvage threads 16 and 17, as shown in FIG. 1, presses these threads to the rear or to the right. The selvage thread 17 is thus brought into register with the slot 23. At the same time, the heddle 21 is swung about the pin 40 into its other end position to the right or rear. Thus, after the next weft thread has been inserted by the next shuttle 14, the selvage thread 17, during the following heald move ment, is moved past thread 16 through the slot 23 behind or to the right of the selvage thread 16. The eye 19 is also moved by and behind the selvage thread 16. When the selvage thread 17 reaches the closed end of the slot 23, a weft thread is again inserted. A shed change then takes place again and this brings the selvage thread 17 into the unoccupied space of gap 25, and there it is again brought into register with the slot 22 by means of the string 33. At the same time, a fresh weft thread is inserted by the next following shuttle 14.

The selvage obtained in this way is illustrated in FIG. 2 which also 'shows the successively inserted weft threads 28.

FIG. 3 illustrates a further arrangement which is for forming center selvages extending between two fabrics 41 and 42, the woven material being divided after the weaving operation by cutting between these selvages with a parting-off device 43. Heald-shaft or heddle support bars 111 and 112 are again shown in FIG. 3. In addition to imparting a shed-like or shed forming movement to the usual heddles (not shown) for the insertion of weft threads, the healds through bars 111 and 112 also impart such movement to the heddles and 121, which are provided with eyes or eyelet means 118 and 119, the warp threads forming pairs of selvage threads 116 and 117 thus also being moved in shed-like manner. Two strings 132 and two' strings 133 form selvage thread positioning elements or portions which are secured at the end of the lever 31 and the other ends of these strings are attached to a fixed part 30 of the loom. Lever 31 in this figure is constructed, secured, and operated, e.g., by a rotatable disc 37 as in the previously described embodiment and forms with strings 132 and 133 movement imparting means for locating or positioning of the selvage threads so they will cross. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the strings 32 and 33 run above the heddles and 21. In contrast to this, the strings 132 and 133, corresponding to the strings 32 and 33, are disposed below the heddles 120 and 121 in the arrangement shown in FIG. 3. A guide slot 122 and a guide slot 123 are provided on either respective side of each of the heddles 120. The strings 132 run on the front side, i.e. to the left, of their respectively associated selvage threads 116 and 117, and the strings 133 run on the rear side, i.e. to the right, of their respective associated threads 116 and 117. The heddles 120 with the eyes 118 and the slots 122 and 123 are here disposed in a first plane, the heddles 121 with the eyes 119 in a second plane parallel therewith, and the laterally movable elements or strings 132 and 133 are disposed in a third plane parallel with the first and second planes, these planes following each other in the order in which they are mentioned above.

The front or leftward ones of the heddles 120 and 121 of FIG. 3 are used to produce one of the selvages, and the rear or rightward ones of the heddles 120 and 121 in this Figure are used to form a second selvage which runs parallel with the first selvage. The mode of operation for forming the two selvages is substantially the same as that described in connection with FIG. 1, so that a description thereof would merely be a repetition and is therefore omitted. In the present arrangement, however, flexible heddles 121 are provided instead of the swinging heddles of FIG. 1. When the strings 133 and 132 press the first selvage threads 117 to the left and to the right, respectively, the eyes 119 on the heddles 121 must also be enabled to move laterally, i.e. between left and right, so that the threads 117 can be alternately brought into register with the slots 122 and 123 and at the same time to enable the eyes 119 to pass before, i.e. to the front or leftward of, and to the rear or rightward of the selvage threads 116. On the other hand, the heddles 120 should not be capable of being deflected in the lateral direction, i.e. by the deflected second selvage threads 116.

It has been found advantageous to use nylon strings or metal wires as the material for the elements or strings 32, 33, 132 and 133, the diameters of these strings or wires ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.5

A suitable form and speed of rotation of, the eccentric disc 37 naturally render it possible to keep the threads 17 and 117 in register with one of the slots 22 and 23 or 122 and 123 during more than two shed changes, and in register with the other of these slots 22 and 23 or 122 and 123 during another number of sheds.

It will be readily seen that the lateral or transverse reciprocatory movement is not limited to the use of strings 32, 33, 132 and 133. It suffices if, at the opening provided by gap and at the corresponding points in FIG. 3, there are present elongate thread positioning elements or portions which run parallel with the slots 22 and 23, and 122 and 123, respectively, and which can be moved laterally to such extents that they can selectively bring the threads 17 and 117 respectively into register with the slots 22 and 23, and 122 and 123.

Such an arrangement can be of the kind shown in FIG. 4 for example. The arrangement corresponds substantially with those illustrated in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3. However, a rod 140 having thread positioning elements as two arms 142 and 143 at one of its ends is operatively secured to the swingable lever 31 instead of the strings as in the foregoing embodiments.

When the loom is operating, a selvage thread 217 in FIG. 4 corresponding to threads 17 or 117 above, passes between the arms 1 42 and 143 through which it is shifted into the gap 225 common to slots 222 and 223 by the shed-like movement of the flexible heddle 221. By means of a rotatable cammed disc 137 of appropriate configuration and lever 31 as in the embodiment first described above, the rod 140 and with it the arms 142 and 143 are moved in the lateral direction, so that the thread 217 is brought into register with the required slot 222 or 223.

It will be appreciated that the rotatable eccentrics 37 and 137 and the levers 31 and rollers 36 form drive means members which together comprise drive means for operating or imparting movement to the thread positioning elements. Also, in the case of FIG. 4, the rod 140 comprises an extension means connecting the positioning elements there to the reciprocable or oscillating lever 31.

Various changes and modifications can be made, as will be appreciated, without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts presented herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A selvage forming arrangement for use on a loom, wherein selvage threads are guided in eyelet means which are moved during weaving to impart shedJike movements to the selvage threads so that they pass each other, comprising: at least two eyelet means each adapted to receive one of at least two selvage threads; means for moving said eyelet means between respective first and second end positions of movement so as to form changing sheds of said selvage threads; at least two elongate selvage thread positioning elements extending transversely of said threads and reciprocable transversely of the shedlike movements of said eyelet means and acting directly upon said selvage threads; at least two guide slots disposed one on each side of one of said eyelet means and extending in the same direction relative to the shed-like movement thereof; and means for altering the position of said thread positioning elements relative to said selvage threads so that in one of theend positions of the said selvage threads one of the selvage threads can be moved periodically by one or the other of said thread positioning elements into register with one or the other of said guide slots.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said eyelet means are two eyes, each eye positioned in a respective one of two heddles that are carried by heald parts of a loom which are used for forming sheds for the weaving process of the loom.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said elements comprise nylon strings which extend from a reciprocable member adapted to impart sidewise movement to said elements.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said elements comprise metal wires which extend from a reciprocable member adapted to impart sidewise movement to said elements.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the diameter of the said elements is between about 0.5

mm. and about 1.5 mm.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which said means for moving said eyelet means comprises at least one heddle which is associated with one of the selvage threads and is yieldable in the lateral direction and movable as a result of sideways movement of the said one of the selvage threads.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6 in which said'heddle has one of said eyelet means positioned therein for receiving said one of the selvage threads and is bendable in the lateral direction.

8. The arrangement according to claim 6 in which said heddle has one of said eyelet means positioned therein for receiving said one of the selvage threads and can be deflected laterally into two stable positions.

9. The arrangement according to claim 6 in which said elements are located near the eyelet means for one of the said selvage threads.

10. The arrangement according to claim 7 in which there is an additional heddle carrying a second of said eyelet means for receiving the said other of said selvage threads, said additional heddle having said two slots disposed in a first plane, said heddle having said one of said eyelet means positioned therein for receiving said one of the selvage threads being disposed in a second plane parallel with said first plane, and the said elements being disposed in a third plane parallel with the said first and second planes, the planes following each other in the order mentioned.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the eyelet means for a second of the selvage threads is positioned in a heddle which is supported at one of its ends and the long sides of which form one of the boundaries of each of the said guide slots, and at the other end of the heddle the guide slots terminate in a common gap in which the said one of the selvage threads is movable into register with each of the said two guide slots.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said elements comprise two thin arms which are carried at one end of an extension means which has its other end secured to a drive means member which is reciprocable in the lateral direction. 

1. A selvage forming arrangement for use on a loom, wherein selvage threads are guided in eyelet means which are moved during weaving to impart shed-like movements to the selvage threads so that they pass each other, comprising: at least two eyelet means each adapted to receive one of at least two selvage threads; means for moving said eyelet means between respective first and second end positions of movement so as to form changing sheds of said selvage threads; at least two elongate selvage thread positioning elements extendiNg transversely of said threads and reciprocable transversely of the shedlike movements of said eyelet means and acting directly upon said selvage threads; at least two guide slots disposed one on each side of one of said eyelet means and extending in the same direction relative to the shed-like movement thereof; and means for altering the position of said thread positioning elements relative to said selvage threads so that in one of the end positions of the said selvage threads one of the selvage threads can be moved periodically by one or the other of said thread positioning elements into register with one or the other of said guide slots.
 1. A selvage forming arrangement for use on a loom, wherein selvage threads are guided in eyelet means which are moved during weaving to impart shed-like movements to the selvage threads so that they pass each other, comprising: at least two eyelet means each adapted to receive one of at least two selvage threads; means for moving said eyelet means between respective first and second end positions of movement so as to form changing sheds of said selvage threads; at least two elongate selvage thread positioning elements extendiNg transversely of said threads and reciprocable transversely of the shedlike movements of said eyelet means and acting directly upon said selvage threads; at least two guide slots disposed one on each side of one of said eyelet means and extending in the same direction relative to the shed-like movement thereof; and means for altering the position of said thread positioning elements relative to said selvage threads so that in one of the end positions of the said selvage threads one of the selvage threads can be moved periodically by one or the other of said thread positioning elements into register with one or the other of said guide slots.
 2. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said eyelet means are two eyes, each eye positioned in a respective one of two heddles that are carried by heald parts of a loom which are used for forming sheds for the weaving process of the loom.
 3. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said elements comprise nylon strings which extend from a reciprocable member adapted to impart sidewise movement to said elements.
 4. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the said elements comprise metal wires which extend from a reciprocable member adapted to impart sidewise movement to said elements.
 5. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the diameter of the said elements is between about 0.5 mm. and about 1.5 mm.
 6. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which said means for moving said eyelet means comprises at least one heddle which is associated with one of the selvage threads and is yieldable in the lateral direction and movable as a result of sideways movement of the said one of the selvage threads.
 7. The arrangement according to claim 6 in which said heddle has one of said eyelet means positioned therein for receiving said one of the selvage threads and is bendable in the lateral direction.
 8. The arrangement according to claim 6 in which said heddle has one of said eyelet means positioned therein for receiving said one of the selvage threads and can be deflected laterally into two stable positions.
 9. The arrangement according to claim 6 in which said elements are located near the eyelet means for one of the said selvage threads.
 10. The arrangement according to claim 7 in which there is an additional heddle carrying a second of said eyelet means for receiving the said other of said selvage threads, said additional heddle having said two slots disposed in a first plane, said heddle having said one of said eyelet means positioned therein for receiving said one of the selvage threads being disposed in a second plane parallel with said first plane, and the said elements being disposed in a third plane parallel with the said first and second planes, the planes following each other in the order mentioned.
 11. The arrangement according to claim 1 in which the eyelet means for a second of the selvage threads is positioned in a heddle which is supported at one of its ends and the long sides of which form one of the boundaries of each of the said guide slots, and at the other end of the heddle the guide slots terminate in a common gap in which the said one of the selvage threads is movable into register with each of the said two guide slots. 